Building construction system and method of fabrication

ABSTRACT

A light gauge metal frame wall system is constructed by erecting a plurality of spaced apart, mutually parallel, vertical studs; placing horizontal, mutually parallel tracks on top and on bottom of the studs; mechanically engaging the studs and tracks; extending tabs outwardly from the studs and tracks, the tabs arranged in mutually parallel alignment and in a common direction and spaced 4 inches apart; forming a cement wall with a face thereof chemically and physically bonded to the studs and tracks and with the tabs embedded within the cement wall.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority date of a prior filed and now pending Provisional Patent Application having Ser. No. 60554423 and a filing date of Mar. 17, 2004.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Present Disclosure

This invention relates generally to building construction technique, and more particularly to a building construction system and method of use for preparing building walls of greater strength and resistance to ground motion.

2. Description of Related

ArtSchilger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,467 describes a building panel which can be used for either walls or floors. It comprises a thin shell unit of reinforced, monolithic cement material having a large, planar outer face and an inner face interconnected by parallel end edges and parallel side edges. A plurality of stud members are partially embedded in the inner face of the cement shell, these stud members being parallel to each other laterally spaced from each other and being fabricated of about 15 to 25 gauge galvanized steel sheet. This steel sheet material is shaped to provide a web portion with one longitudinal edge of the web being shaped to lock the stud within the concrete shell and the longitudinal edge of the web remote from the concrete shell comprising an L-shaped flange defining the outer surface of the stud member to which a finished panel may be attached. Channel-shaped metal beam members connect the ends of the studs. Schilger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,884 describes a panel used as a building component. It comprises: (a) a plurality of C-shaped sheet steel channel beams each having a central web and an inner and outer edge flange, said inner flanges having cuts therein at longitudinally spaced locations to form upwardly projecting lugs and said beam members being parallel to each other and laterally spaced from each other; (b) form work panel members resting on the outer faces of the inner flanges and extending between the beams, said form work panel members being held against said flanges by parts of said projecting lugs being bent around the edges thereof, with the remaining lug portions projecting outwardly between adjacent form work panels and (c) a thin shell reinforced cement panel formed on said form work panels with said remaining projecting lug portions being embedded in the cement material, thereby forming a reinforced building component. Ruiz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,717 describes a structural building module having first and second upright cast structural members. Each of the first and second structural upright members include a wall portion and a roof portion. These structural members are initially supported on erection pads such that the wall portions are upright and the roof portions project toward one another such that the roof portions can be joined together. After joining the roof portions a structural base is forming in situ by casting. The structural base is attached to the wall portions of the structural members by entraining into the structural base, attaching members projecting out of the wall portions near their edge. Ruiz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,972 describes a reinforced structural member for connection to a building panel, such as a prefabricated building panel used to construct walls, floors and roofs of a building. The reinforced structural member is a two-piece assembly comprising a structural member and a reinforcing member. The reinforcing member is fastened to the structural member such that a plurality of projections extending from the reinforcing member engage the building panel. The reinforced structural member is especially adapted for use with composite or cement materials, such as concrete. The reinforcing member substantially reinforces the structural member, while the projections of the reinforcing member securely embed within the concrete building panel. A U-shaped track, having projections which embed within the building panel, also may be used to brace the reinforced structural members relative to each other and to the building panel. Finally, Ruiz et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,858 describes a construction system using an elongate horizontal structural beam having a vertically oriented pair of side legs integrally joined to a base plate. The base plate lays abutting a structural ground surface with the side legs extending upwardly. The structural beam further comprising a number of horizontally spaced apart, tabs extending outwardly from the side legs. A number of elongate vertical structural beams, act as wall bearing members and have, integrally joined to a further base plate, a further pair of side legs adapted for abutting, at a first end, the first structural beam. Further tabs extend outwardly from the further side legs. Each of the tabs is derived as a cut-out portion of the side legs such that a major surface area of the tabs is positioned vertically or horizontally depending upon how the beam is positioned. A vertical concrete wall abuts the first and the second side legs and is positioned for enclosing all of the tabs for attachment of the beams to the wall. In the case that the concrete wall comprises a rebar network, individual bars are placed and spaced apart within the concrete wall so as to avoid interference with the tabs.

The prior art teaches wall construction systems and methods. However, the prior art does not teach that such a wall system may be constructed so as to efficiently transfer force and movement between major elements of the structure in the manner described herein. The present invention provides a superior solution and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary..

SUMMARY

This disclosure teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

A light gauge metal frame wall system is constructed by erecting a plurality of spaced apart, mutually parallel, vertical studs; placing horizontal, mutually parallel tracks on top and on bottom of the studs; mechanically engaging the studs and tracks; extending tabs outwardly from the studs and tracks, the tabs arranged in mutually parallel alignment and in a common direction and spaced 4 inches apart; forming a cement wall with a face thereof chemically and physically bonded to the studs and tracks and with the tabs embedded within the cement wall. The resulting structure may be used for walls, floors or roof systems. The cement wall may be made of any type of structural forming material such as concrete and other setting materials.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a building construction having advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide such a construction tying base beams and wall beams (studs) into concrete walls in such a manner that horizontal movement of the ground is effectively transferred to the horizontal beams, and vertical ground movement is effectively transferred to the vertical beams.

A further objective is to provide such a construction that is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble and yet highly effective in providing force transfer between building elements.

A still further objective is to provide such a construction the improves shear flow over the prior art.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. primary objective inherent in the above described apparatus and method of use is to provide advantages not taught by the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawing figure illustrates the present system as a partial cutaway perspective view of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above described drawing figures illustrate the described apparatus and its method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as a limitation in the scope of the present apparatus and method of use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The presently described apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, is a construction system 10 comprising a horizontal bottom track 20, preferably a rigid steel channel having a track base plate 24 and track side legs 22 integrally joined to the track base plate 24. The track base plate 24 is preferably laid onto a structural surface 5. The surface 5 may be a concrete pad or other bearing surface. The track side legs 22 extend upwardly from the track base plate 24. A plurality of horizontally spaced apart tabs 26 extend outwardly from at least one of the track side legs 22 and are spaced apart by about 4 inches.

A series of vertical studs 30 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1), are positioned in spaced apart positions within the bottom track 20. Stud side legs 32 are integrally joined to a stud base plate 34, wherein each of the studs 30 is of such size as to abut, at a first end thereof 36, both the track base plate 24 and the track side legs 22 so that the track and stud may be joined by welding or similar means. As with the track side legs 22, the side legs 32 also provide a plurality of spaced apart tabs 38, preferably 4 inches apart; which extend outwardly therefrom and are generally of the size and shape of the tabs 26. Both the tabs 26 and 38 are derived as a punched-out portion of the side legs 22 and 32 respectively.

Preferably, tabs 26 are positioned vertically and tabs 38 are positioned horizontally, but the tabs 26 and 38 may be oriented in directions other then as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the tabs 22, 32 are folded out from the side walls along a bend line 25 that is generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis of tracks and studs.

A vertical concrete wall 40, preferably 2 inches in thickness, is constructed with one of its faces abutting the side legs 22, 32 and the wall 40 encloses the tabs 26, 38. Preferably, the tabs 26, 38 are L-shaped so that they are physically locked within the concrete wall 40. The wall 40 chemically and physically bonds itself to the metal surfaces of the studs 30, tracks 20 and tabs 26 and 38.

In one embodiment, the concrete wall 40 has within it a rebar network 42 comprising a plurality of individual linear bars 44, and these linear bars 44 are placed within the wall 40 forming a matrix spaced so as to avoid interference with the tabs 26, 38. We have discovered that by placing the tabs 26, 38 at a spacing of 4 inches, plus or minus ¼ inch, the strength of the studs, the tracks and the structure as a whole including the wall 40 becomes optimal, and it is based on this discovery that the claims of this application clearly distinguish over those of U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,858. Further, the tabs are preferably ⅞ inches long with a ½ inch bent over terminal flange.

The present invention includes a method of fabrication of the above described light gauge metal frame wall system. The method comprises the steps of erecting a plurality of spaced apart, mutually parallel, vertical studs 30; placing horizontal, mutually parallel tracks 20 on top (not shown) and on bottom (underneath) the studs 30; mechanically engaging the studs 30 with the tracks 20 as by welding; extending tabs 26 and 38 outwardly from the tracks 20 and studs 30, preferably by metal punching methods so that the tabs 26 and 38 are arranged in mutually parallel alignment and in a common direction and spaced 4 inches apart; and finally, forming a cement wall 40 with a face thereof chemically and physically bonded to the studs 30 and tracks 20 and with the tabs 26, 38 embedded within the cement wall 40.

Preferably, the cement wall 40 is formed (poured) onto a horizontal surface and the rebar network 42 and the tabs 26 and 38 are then forced into the cement wall 40 while the cement is still plastic. Alternatively, or in conjunction with the rebar network 42, short pieces 50 of rigid materials such as rebar may be placed within the cement wall 40 for improved structural strength.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the apparatus and its method of use and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.

The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.

The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that each named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented. 

1. A light gauge metal frame wall system comprising: a plurality of spaced apart, mutually parallel, vertical studs extensive between a pair of horizontal, mutually parallel tracks, the studs mechanically engaged with the tracks; the studs and tracks providing tabs of 0.875 inches in length and having a 0.5 inch terminal flange, the tabs extending outwardly in mutually parallel alignment and common direction, with a 4 inch spacing therebetween; a cement wall providing a face thereof chemically and physically bonded to the studs and tracks, the tabs embedded within the cement wall.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the tabs are punched out of the studs and the tracks.
 3. A method of making a light gauge metal frame wall system comprising the steps of: erecting a plurality of spaced apart, mutually parallel, vertical studs; placing horizontal, mutually parallel tracks on top and on bottom of the studs; mechanically engaging the studs and tracks; extending tabs outwardly from the studs and tracks, the tabs arranged in mutually parallel alignment and in a common direction and spaced 4 inches apart; forming a cement wall with a face thereof chemically and physically bonded to the studs and tracks and with the tabs embedded within the cement wall.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the cement wall is formed on a horizontal surface and the tabs are forced into the cement wall while the cement wall is plastic.
 5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of embedding a metal mesh within the cement wall.
 6. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of embedding short pieces within the cement wall.
 7. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of punching the tabs from the material of the studs and the tracks. 